Modi's Kolkata call: overtures for Mamata, swipes for Left, UPA -Governance Now

Modi's Kolkata call: overtures for Mamata, swipes for Left, UPA

Guj chief minister expresses confidence in Trinamool govt in West Bengal

GN Bureau | April 9, 2013

Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi

Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday endorsed the Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool government in West Bengal saying that he was confident that it will fulfill the people's dreams. Modi is in Kolkata on a day long visit.

Modi's overtures for Banerjee assume significance in the run up to the 2014 general elections as Trinamool is no longer a part of the Congress-led UPA at the centre. Trinamool had been a former ally of the BJP with Banerjee holding the railways portfolio in the NDA government in 1999. With the Gujarat chief minister being projected as the BJP's prime ministerial candidate for 2014, reaching out to former ally could be a part of stitching together a coalition for 2014.

Cheering Mamata on, Modi said that the Left Front government of 32 years had left "potholes" which might take time to get filled. He also joined camps with Banerjee in bashing the central government, accusing it of discriminating against non-Congress ruled states. For full measure, Modi added, "I see this (discrimination) happening in West Bengal too."

He also lashed out at the UPA government saying that it had come to a "standstill".

Earlier today, the BJP leader visited the Belur Math in the outskirts of the city where he said that he hoped the youth of the country will be inspired by the ideas of Swami Vivekananda.

"I am confident that the youth of the nation will make the country proud by making it 'Jagatguru' following the ideas of Swami Vivekananda," Modi told reporters after paying a visit to the Belur Math here.

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